Should the military ban slot machines?
By laylomo
@laylomo (165)
United States
December 15, 2007 7:55pm CST
A bill in Congress hopes to eliminate military slot machines overseas. These 300 or so machines are estimated at generating $130 million a year. This money is used to build morale, welfare, and recreation programs, and other issues at the discretion of the Defense Department.
The bill was inspired by Officer Aaron Walsh of the Army, after he was discharged for being addicted to gambling. Walsh committed suicide after unsuccessful attempts to break his addiction. His wife said he has lost over $20,000 from these slot machines.
Do you think the military should ban gambling machines? Is this his own problem or the military's fault?
2 people like this
3 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Dec 07
If they don't ban the slots, they should have Gamblers Anonymous on each base for the troops.why would anyone want to put slots on military bases anyway?
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
27 Dec 07
The military banning slot machines casue someone can't control a gambling problem makes about as much sense as them banning drinking cause of folks comming back on base drunk. They might as well ban smoking, drinking, driving, and anything else military people do because someone "might" have a problem with it. No its not the military's fault that this guy didn't know how to stop. I mean seriously what ever happened to personal responibility. No one forced him to go gamble, he did it on his own. If he were statside and out in town somewhere and gambled all his money away.. would they want to ban gambling in that state? NO. So why do it on bases cause of a few people who have no self control.
